


The Aftermath of Fate

by NeonPistachio



Category: The Chronicles of Chrestomanci - Diana Wynne Jones
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, M/M, More cheerful than the title sounds, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-22
Updated: 2017-09-22
Packaged: 2019-01-04 05:35:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12162573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeonPistachio/pseuds/NeonPistachio
Summary: Cat meets Conrad





	The Aftermath of Fate

Cat was crossing the foyer on his way to see Syracuse when he heard a loud chime. He recognised the sound as the alarm in the reception room for those entering from other worlds. Seconds later, a man stepped out into the foyer. He was tall, though shorter than Chrestomanci, and had dark, wavy hair. He was dressed in strange clothing, quite unlike the fashions in this world. He saw Cat and smiled. ‘You must be Cat. We haven’t met yet, I’m Conrad, I’m the Chrestomanci agent in Series Seven. Millie and Christopher told me about you last time I saw them.’  
‘Pleased to meet you’ Cat replied politely. He didn’t know what to say next. Thankfully, before it could become awkward, the butler, Mr Frazier, arrived. He bowed courteously to Conrad. ‘Mr Tesdinic, we were not expecting you.’  
‘Hello, Frazier, no, I don’t expect you were. But I finished my business early, and I thought I’d come before I was dragged into something else. Is Millie about?’  
Frazier gave a small smile. ‘Lady Chant is at present in the Middle Saloon. I am sure she shall be delighted to see you.’  
‘I’ll go and find her there then. Good to meet you Cat, I’ll probably see you again before I leave.’ He ran lightly up the stairs to the upper hall and vanished down a corridor. Cat continued out to the stables where Syracuse was waiting impatiently for him.

Cat half expected to see Conrad at dinner that evening, but to his surprise Conrad, Millie and Chrestomanci were all missing. In the playroom after dinner he mentioned this to Roger. ‘I hope nothing is wrong’ he said with an edge of worry. ‘No, there’s nothing wrong’ Roger replied. ‘Mummy and Daddy never eat with us the first night Conrad’s here. I hope he stays for a few days’ he continued with a frown ‘I want to ask him about power cells. Joe was wondering -’ But at that point Joe came in to find Roger and they both vanished to their workshop. 

The next afternoon, as Cat was grooming Syracuse Chrestomanci and Conrad appeared in the stable yard. Conrad was dressed in ordinary clothes this time. Chrestomanci said to Cat ‘I thought I’d find you out here. Conrad, this is Cat, and Syracuse.’ Conrad grinned at Cat. ‘We met briefly yesterday.’ He looked at Syracuse. ‘He’s beautiful. I’d love to have a horse but I’m away so often that it’s not really practical. Christopher didn’t mention him the last time I was here. How long have you had him?’ Chrestomanci looked amused. ‘I’ll leave you to rhapsodise over the horse. When the two of you can tear yourselves away, come to my study. I’d like you tell Cat about representatives in other worlds, Conrad.’ He vanished back into the house.  
‘Would you mind if I help groom him?’ Conrad asked. Cat went and found another brush and they spent the next few minutes quietly working. ‘I wanted a horse the whole time I was here, but Gabriel De Witt wouldn’t let Millie or I have one’ Conrad said after a few minutes. Cat was surprised. ‘You studied here? I thought you were from Series Seven?’ Conrad nodded. ‘I am, and I met Christopher and Millie there. When Gabriel De Witt came to get them he offered me a place here, and then I went back to be his representative in Series Seven. I’m employed as a Special Investigator there as well, so I don’t get to come back here as often as I’d like.’ He looked briefly sad. The next moment Syracuse decided he’d had enough of standing still and made a break for the paddock. They both had to scramble out of the way then spend the next quarter of an hour chasing him. Once they caught him again they went inside to see Chrestomanci.

Cat spent the rest of the afternoon learning about agents in different worlds and what their job involved. He found he liked Conrad, not just because Conrad liked Syracuse. There was just something nice about him, though Cat reflected that it was strange to hear Chrestomanci be called Christopher so casually. He decided to invite Conrad to go riding with him tomorrow. He could borrow Joss Callow’s horse.  
Janet and Julia were there when he suggested it after dinner, and they immediately wanted to go too. Klartch wanted to join in as well, so it was a large group that set off the next day to Ulverscote to visit Jason and Irene. Janet and Julia were cycling, Klartch had decided to fly, and Conrad and Cat were on horseback. They eventually made it into Ulverscote and up to Woods House where Jason and Irene were waiting. Conrad and Jason had studied together and kept them all entertained with stories of the goings on and tales of what Chrestomanci had been like when he was just plain Christopher. Cat, Janet and Klartch were amazed to hear about how Conrad had met Chrestomanci and Millie, though Julia knew the story already. When they left, Jason had to drive Klartch back in his car as he was still young enough to get tired by long flights. Cat Klartch-proofed the seats first.

Two days later Conrad had to go back to Series Seven. He said the King in his world had had reports of misuse of magic in one of the universities in Seven-F and he was needed to investigate. A whole group gathered to see him off, including Cat, Janet and Julia. He shook hands with Cat and said he hoped they could go riding again when he was next in this world. Cat nodded and agreed. Conrad, Chrestomanci and Millie went into the room for other world travel and shut the door. A few moments later, there was a chime, and then shortly after the two of them came out again. Millie had her arm tucked into Chrestomanci’s and she looked a touch sad, while Chrestomanci was looking particularly vague. Julia went over and gave Millie a hug, then Millie and Chrestomanci went off upstairs. Julia watched them go then turned to Cat. ‘They’re always sad after Conrad leaves. I wish he could visit more often’ she said.  
‘They must be very close friends’ Janet commented, coming up to them. Julia turned to her impatiently. ‘They’re not friends. Or not just friends. He’s their third. He just can’t be in this world all the time.’  
‘Oh’ Janet said. ‘That’s so sad. To be in another world so much. Poor Conrad.’ She looked like she was going to burst into tears. Cat wandered off before she could. He hoped this wouldn’t be like the fuss over Jason. He wondered what Julia had meant by third. He pondered this as he made his way to his room, only to be waylaid by Klartch who wanted to go for a fly and asked Cat to come too on Syracuse.

Cat was still wondering about Julia’s comment that afternoon. It was Wednesday and they were having tea on the lawn. Chrestomanci wasn’t there, but Millie was sitting in a deckchair with a cup of tea beside her. Cat decided to ask about it. Millie sighed when he did. ‘It’s difficult to explain, dear. One way to say it would be that it’s like Conrad is married to Christopher and I. He’s very important to us and we all love each other, but he can’t be here all the time. It’s probably hard for you to understand, but he’s like a husband to us, one who has to be away a lot on business. But he comes here whenever he can get some free time.’  
Cat ate one of his éclairs and thought about this. He could understand what she meant. ‘Why can’t he be here all the time? Because he’s from Series Seven?’  
‘No, love, that’s not really a problem. I’m from Series Ten originally, remember. But he has a job to do, one Gabriel De Witt gave him, and he has to be in there to do it. His family is there as well, his sister and his nephews and nieces.’  
‘Couldn’t he work from here some of the time and go and visit them?’  
‘He doesn’t just work for Chrestomanci though, love. He works for the King of his world and he’s responsible for a lot of duties throughout his Series. He needs to be there most of the time. He’s able to visit much more than he used to. When Gabriel was in charge he could only come once or twice a year unless he was on business.’  
‘Did Mr De Witt not get on with Conrad?’  
‘Oh no, he liked Conrad, he said Conrad was the only one who could make Christopher see sense, but Gabriel was very aware of duty. He was right though, Conrad is very good at getting Christopher to agree to things. It will be wonderful when he can be here permanently.’  
‘Is he going to be here permanently?’  
‘Yes, in a few years, once he’s trained up a replacement he’s going to resign from his post as Special Investigator and representative of Chrestomanci and come to live here. We’ve spoken to the cats, and they’ve agreed that one of them will give him a life to exchange so he can stay here in this world without fading.’ She was wearing a wide, happy smile as she said this.  
Cat nodded. ‘Thank you for explaining.’ He bit into his second éclair, and Millie turned to Michael Saunders, who had just sat down in the next chair, to ask him about a book he had read.  
Cat finished his éclair and though about Conrad. He was easier to talk to than Chrestomanci and he liked horses. Maybe when he lived here, Conrad could have a horse of his own. It would be nice to have someone to go riding with sometimes, someone who wasn’t Joss Callow. Cat smiled. He’d probably like it too when Conrad came to live here.


End file.
